Success

What is success in life?

Money? A good/great/acclaimed job? Happiness? Material things?

Is it nothing more that a fleeting moment of reaching a milestone? What do you do when you reach it, quit working, or work harder, longer?

Rough Start

With in the beginning getting use to the kitchen once again, coupled with the time change and accelerated pace and long days that I wasn't accustomed to, its been a rough start. Add on to that my hands having multiple cuts infected on em, (mostly my left, since last Friday) from stupid nicks that happen when you are working in a fast pace environment. I've never had an infected cut in my life! Why oh why now. The biggest is on my left pointing finger, a pretty vital finger that slows me down a bit, makes me look quite clumsy cause I can't open a container at a fast speed with an ever tender opening finger.

Maybe I'm just being a pussy, but its been a difficult first two weeks. And now the past two days having not been able to work due to the infected finger(they have to be very cautious as of late since the noro virius outbreak), its left me stranded with not a single person I know about and in a city where everything is beyond fathomable prices! (Average coffee 6-8$, beer 4-8$, minimum on a cheap meal 22$+.) It's been nice weather but with a slight fever and achy body re:finger, I've slept a lot(which is great because you're not spending money when you dream!).

In the end, if I get offered a job I will be happy, but know it will be a long road ahead. 17 hours a day is a lot! Week after week. Never being able to get ahead. It will be good for me and the future, but will take its toll on my body and likely my heart for cooking. Maybe this is just a beginning outlook, maybe things would become more routine and easy over time.

If I don't get offered a job, it will suck because of the time, money, and work that I put into getting here. But there are many other things out there, and "easier" paths to take. But I don't want to disappoint! A shitty situation.

All in the little things

Subtlety-the further down the path, the more the little things become all the more important. The fine tuning. Nuance! Awareness of temperatures, weather, seasons and aromas. No longer is the mere completion the end, but the evolution and mere touches a step forward. Take it all in. Absorb. It will all come together.

Hey!

Why is everyone in this world and even more so in the restaurant world so cynical? And arrogant? And condescending?

Think before you say stuff next time. If its not positive, don't say it, ass hole.

Humility

Perhaps the greatest thing I learned in 2012 is humility. Acquired and toned through my time at The Clifton Inn, primarily through our guiding father Tucker Yoder, it has been a lesson and principle that I will not lose site of or forget any time soon.

So much of the world seems to be run by arrogance and boasting of ones self, and then you find those whom live quite a comfortable life yet complain or want things that are total luxury. If only we could all thing about those who don't know what they are going to eat next!!!! Or those washing dishes in New York City at a slamming restaurant for minimum wage everyday.

Caffeine? Alcohol? Fine coffee, fine wine? All luxury. Simple pleasures that we all don't need everyday, but imbibe on because we can.

Put's it all in perspective, think about others before complaining about yourself next time.

And think about those working for minimum wage or low pay, while cooking for the wealthy and extreme opposite next time.

The restaurant business is upside down in all ways possible.